Explora Journeys, the luxury cruise brand of MSC Group, has agreed a deal with shipbuilding group Fincantieri for the construction of two new hydrogen-powered luxury cruise ships.
Explora V and VI will feature liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines designed to tackle the issue of methane slip and will also be equipped with a containment system for liquid hydrogen that will enable them to use the low-carbon fuel.
Hydrogen fuel will power a six-megawatt fuel cell to produce emissions-free power for the hotel operation and allow the vessels to run on zero emissions in port, with the engines turned off.
The two new builds, which will take the lines fleet from four to six vessels, are set to come into service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Explora Journeys has also confirmed that previously announced vessels Explora III and IV will be powered by LNG. The two ships will be enlarged by 19 metres to enable the installation of the system.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division, said the move marks a “significant step forward” in the line’s 2050 net-zero emissions target.
“Explora Journeys is building ships for tomorrow, utilising today’s latest technologies and being ready to adapt to alternative energy solutions as they become available,” he added.
“This transition to zero-emissions operations for the maritime industry is the biggest challenge that we will ever face, and this will only be achieved by everyone playing their part – by investing in research and development and through significant investment both by companies but also governments.”
The two additional ships covered under the memorandum of understanding (MOA) with Fincantieri will bring Explora Journeys’ investment in its fleet to €3.5 billion.
This includes an additional €120 million each for fitting Explora III and IV with LNG engines, a change that required a temporary halt of work due to the significant redesign of the ships, which will now be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
While the major corporations continue to dominate the cruise market, there are several new brands entering service over the next few years. With their new products and ships, they’re adding a fresh perspective to the business. Cruise Industry News has looked at the plans of five of the new cruise lines.
Swan Hellenic First ship: SH Minerva Built: 2021 Capacity: 152 Inaugural Cruise: December 29, 2021 Region and Itinerary: Antarctica and South Shetland Islands
Swan Hellenic is returning to the market after a four-year hiatus with new management at the helm. The new cruise line is about to launch service in Antarctica and will be operating in the expedition cruising niche.
It aims to offer “cultural expedition cruising” to remote parts of the globe with its three new purpose-built expedition ships. Sailing areas include the polar regions, where the first ship Minerva will debut on Dec. 29.
According to the company, the vessel and its sister ships were designed with “state-of-the-art features” meant to provide “guests with an elegant, intimate and personal onboard experience delivered by 120 warm, friendly and knowledgeable staff.”
The SH Vega will follow the Minerva, entering service next April, while a third – yet unnamed – vessel will debut in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Ambassador Cruise Line
First ship: Ambiance Built: 1991 Capacity: 1,590 Inaugural Cruise: April 6, 2022 Region and Itinerary: Northern Europe
Ambassador Cruise Line claims to be the first new British cruise line since 2010. The brand launched in 2021, announcing its plans to offer a “premium-value, authentic cruise experience, sailing for the British market from its homeport of London Tilbury.”
With a program of no-fly itineraries, Ambassador is focusing on the over-50s market looking for a traditional cruising product.
Ambassador’s first ship, the 1,590-guest Ambiance, was built in 1991 and is currently undergoing a major refurbishment in Croatia. Among the vessel’s main features are five restaurants, nine lounges, a swimming pool and a spa.
After the refit, the Ambiance is set to debut on Apr. 6, with an inaugural short-break cruise to Hamburg, before embarking on a mixed itinerary program with sailings to the Norwegian Fjords and the British Isles planned throughout spring.
Margaritaville at Sea First ship: Margaritaville Paradise Built: 1991 Capacity: 1,308 Inaugural Cruise: April 30, 2022 Region and Itinerary: Short cruises to Freeport, Bahamas
After doing a deal with Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, the Margaritaville Resorts & Hotels group will operate a new cruise brand in 2022.
Called Margaritaville at Sea, the company will operate the Margaritaville Paradise on short Bahamas getaways beginning Apr. 30.
Currently sailing as the Grand Classica, the 1991-built vessel is expected to undergo an extensive refit at Grand Bahama before entering service for the new brand.
Margaritaville at Sea will sail from the Port of Palm Beach and is set to offer two-night cruises to Freeport in Grand Bahama Island. The product will provide guests with Margaritaville’s authentic culture, entertainment and food, the company said.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection First ship: Evrima Built: 2022 Capacity: 298 Inaugural Cruise: May 6, 2022 Region and Itinerary: Western Europe and the Mediterranean
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is launching its luxury mega yacht service in 2022. The brand is planning an upscale boutique product, focusing on dining and wellness features, onboard its purpose-built first ship Evrima.
The vessel – set to enter service in 2022 – will offer 10 different dining experiences. Those range from steaks and seafood to fully customized lunches and dinners. Other features on the ship include spa treatments and a marina-style platform with sundecks ensuring direct access to water.
The Evrima also has some of the nicest accommodations at sea, including duplex suites and a 160-square-meter Owner’s Suite with its own private terrace and whirlpool.
The ship’s first cruise is scheduled for May 6 and departs from Lisbon, Portugal. The 11-night itinerary visits seven ports in the region – including Tangier in Morocco – before it arrives in Barcelona, Spain.
Explora Journeys First ship: Explora I Built: 2023 Capacity: 922 Inaugural Cruise: May 31, 2023 Region and Itinerary: Europe – Western and Eastern Mediterranean
When it launches service in 2023, Explora Journeys will mark MSC Group’s debut in the luxury market. The new brand will sail global itineraries on mid-sized purpose-built vessels and currently has four ships on order.
According to MSC, Explora Journeys will offer the “highest level of service and amenities,” while utilizing the latest technology to provide “journeys of discovery” through destinations “on and off the beaten path.”
The brand’s first ship Explora I’s first cruise is scheduled to depart on May 31, 2023. For its debut season, the 922-guest vessel is offering a program in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe before crossing the Atlantic for a series of itineraries in North America, the Caribbean and South America.
Explora Journeys, the new luxury lifestyle cruise brand of the MSC Group, has launched its new online travel advisor centre in order to “further cement its links with the travel advisor community.”
“Our new Travel Advisor Centre is another important step forward in our vision and purpose, based on the extensive research we completed to create an ocean experience like no other,” said the cruise line’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Ungerer. “We have created what I believe is a seamless, best-in-class digital experience for travel advisors to underscore our mantra of just how easy it is to do business with Explora Journeys. Given our belief in this brand to create a new category in luxury, lifestyle travel, we will continue to invest in its expansion to create what we refer to as an `Ocean State of Mind` for all our guests.”
According to a press release, the Explora Travel Advisor Centre is designed with extensive travel advisor input and includes:
Booking Suite – allows advisors to search and book journeys of their clients’ choice, select suites, access fares, generate options and quotations.
Knowledge Suite – intuitive access to a variety of chapters to equip travel advisors with the knowledge to tell the Explora Journeys’ story. Additionally, advisors can learn “valuable tips” and generate a “go-to-market action plan” with specific clients identified.
Marketing Suite – access to digital and print assets designed exclusively for travel advisors and their clients. Assets include digital banners, brand booklets, image library, brand logos, videos, recommended social media assets, email and print templates.
Performance Suite – reporting dashboard where advisors can track all their bookings, commissions paid via the industry’s first rolling commission payment program, meet the Explora Journeys team and contact details.
Headlines – news and updates from Explora Journeys including new journeys, travel advisor benefits and, from 2022, information about onboard and destination experiences.
“We are proud to announce this next step in the brand’s journey and this is another example of Explora Journeys putting the travel advisor community first. A year in the making, we are proud to launch our platform and we will continue to engage travel advisors for input as we add valuable resources to make doing business with Explora Journeys joyful,” the Chief Sales Officer for Explora Journeys, Chris Austin, said.
The Travel Advisor Centre follows Explora Journeys’ By Appointment service launched in September that allows travel advisors to set up an appointment with an Explora Journeys Ambassador to discuss and make a booking on one or more of the eight inaugural journeys during Explora I’s first year, including the vessel’s maiden journey in May 2023.
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